Mike Roland will be one of three returning starters along the offensive line.

April 4, 2014

WASHINGTON - Through 10 spring practices, the Georgetown University football team is still far from the team they expect to be when they host Wagner at Multi-Sport Field on August 30. Though following the team's Friday morning practice, defensive end Alec May (Wrenthem, Mass./King Phillip) and offensive lineman Mike Roland(Miami, Fla./Coral Gables) talked about the excitement and competition during spring ball.

"I think there are a lot of guys stepping up and fulfilling roles that the seniors left," May said. "I think all the position groups are improving a lot and we're becoming a very close knit as a defense and communicating a lot better this spring."

Head Coach Rob Sgarlata and his staff will have the unenviable task of replacing more than 20 student-athletes who will graduate from the 2013 squad, including All-Patriot League selections Dustin Wharton and Daniel Sprotte. The Hoyas do return four all-league players, including linebacker Nick Alfieri(Portland, Ore./Jesuit/Hotchkiss School), May, Roland and defensive tackle Jordan Richardson (Watkinsville, Ga./Athens Academy) who will be expected to be the foundation for the 2014 edition.

Sgarlata will be joined by new defensive coordinator Luke Thompson, who returns to the Hilltop after a two-year stint at Army and new offensive coordinator Michael Neuberger, who returns after one-year at Cornell. The staff has welcomed competition within each position unit and the Hoyas' have noticed the benefit already.

"It's great to have the competition in practice," Roland said. "I feel like practice isn't just going through the motion, there's actually competition and that's going to get everybody better.